For this assignment I have decided to attend an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting at Jones Memorial United Methodist Church in Forest Park, Georgia. Jones Memorial United Methodist Church hosts two Alcohol Anonymous meetings on Tuesday and Friday. I decided to attend the meeting on Friday, September 16, 2016. The meeting started promptly at 7pm and lasted until 8pm. There were about 11 participants, including myself. The Alcoholics Anonymous meeting was an open discussion meeting. There were people from different backgrounds but everyone was respectful and friendly to each other. We began the meeting with a word of prayer. As a group, we held hands and recited the Lord's Prayer. After the prayer the group recited a song and waved their hands back and forth. After the prayer, we sat in a circle and the facilitator passed around an offering basket. Once the offering was complete, the facilitator asked me to introduce myself. During my introduction, I politely stated my name, the name of my school, and my major. The other participants introduced themselves by stating "Hi, my name is John Doe and I am an alcoholic." They then continued to share their personal experiences with alcoholism and express their gratitude for the 12-step meeting. During the talk, each participant shared the moments in their life that led them to decide to seek treatment and how many years they have been sober. Each member of the group was very supportive of their group mates. They showered each other with love and gave each other advice to stay on track. I liked the meeting. It gave me the opportunity to see how excessive alcohol use can control one's ability to function in society. Each member was determined to stay sober and find other things to do besides drink... halfway through the paper... step and in February they would focus on the second step. Something that struck me during the meeting some participants have lived in fear for years after getting sober. They wouldn't leave the house because they would use again or they would meet old friends drinking with them. Additionally, I found it interesting that every year the members of the group get together to celebrate their years of sobriety. The celebration consists of a speaker, food and entertainment. Overall, I really enjoyed attending an AA meeting. As an aspiring social worker, this encounter helped me understand that overcoming an addiction is not easy. Also, if I decide to work with drug addicts, there may be times when they may relapse. I should learn to be patient and keep in mind that excessive substance use can alter your brain and control your life.